


Star Wars: Episode X- The Emperor's Labyrinth

by Creed_Nation



Series: The Second Sequel Trilogy [1]
Category: Star Wars Legends: Knights of the Old Republic (Video Games), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Gen, Inspired by Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Minor Finn/Rey (Star Wars), inspired by Gladiator
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2019-10-25 08:16:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17721527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creed_Nation/pseuds/Creed_Nation
Summary: Ten years after the fall of the First Order, Rey, Finn, and Poe wake up in a gladiator arena with many figures of history across time and space. Now, without the force or their weapons, they must fight not only to stop this new evil in the shadows of the labyrinth above, but also to survive the mighty gladiatorial Colosseum of Emperor Commodus.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> By the time this story is begun publication, Episode 9 is not out. So, don't say I'm not following what happened at the end of the Sequel Trilogy. I'm well aware of this fact.

Rey woke up to find herself, Finn, and Poe in a cell with stone walls and metal bars. She cleared her mind to remember what happened. The last thing she remembered was she and her friends were going to a hostile planet at war with itself to negotiate peace as neutral representatives of the Republic. But she never remembered landing on a planet or even passing out.

"Hello," Rey said.

No answer.

"Hello. Can anyone hear me?"

"Rey," Finn said as he and Poe jumped from their sleep.

"Finn!" Rey exclaimed as she took Finn in her arms.

"Umm, you two need a room?" Poe asked.

"Where are we?" Finn asked.

"I'm not sure," Rey answered.

They looked out the cell door and saw numerous people in strange armor spar with wooden swords. Rey looked to her belt and saw her lightsaber was gone. She looked at the area outside and there, right on a table full of many swords, guns, spears, etc. was her lightsaber, the blue one that was once the late Grand Master Luke and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker's, among many more lightsabers of shapes and sizes. She focused her mind on the weapon, to let the force guide it to her hand, but nothing happened.

"Something's wrong," Rey said.

"What?" Finn asked.

"I can't use the force and I don't understand why."

"It's because of these," said a man with white hair, pointing to the device in the right side of his neck. "Commodus designed these to prevent us from escaping and using magic to cheat in the arena."

"Commodus?" Rey asked.

"Arena?" Poe asked.

"To answer the young lady's question first: Commodus is the emperor of the Roman Empire; though in my day, it was sixteen hundred years ago and the Roman Empire is no more. Now, my young man, I refer to the gladiatorial arena, the Grand Colosseum of Rome, the largest ameba-theater in the world."

"Not in the twenty-third century, it is not." said a man in gray.

"Now, now, blacksmith," said a tall man with a beard. "There is no need to correct a man of such dignity."

"I'm sorry, but who are you people?" asked Finn.

"Oh, forgive my manners," said the white-haired man. "My name is George Washington, commander of the Colonial Armies of America and the first President of the United States, and this is Abraham Lincoln, the... um, was it the sixteenth President of the United States?"

"Yes, Mr. President," Lincoln replied.

"And this man?" Poe asked.

"We only know him as the blacksmith," Washington answered. "He made all, or most, of the weapons you see here. Commodus threatens time and time again to kill him if he doesn't, but the one above the arena, inside the place called the Emporer's Labyrinth, keeps Commodus in line."

"And what is he called?" Finn asked.

"No one knows his real name, but he prefers to be called the Warlord."

Rey had stopped listening when the blacksmith spoke. Something about him had caught her attention. But what?

"Here," said a woman in Mandalorian armor to the blacksmith. "Will this help?" She placed a strange herb on a wound located on the blacksmith's left shoulder.

"Thanks, _Cyar'ika,_ " said the blacksmith as he rest his head on hers.

"Gladiators," a man shouted. "Prepare yourselves. You will be in the arena in thirty minutes."

With their bodies clad in armor and ready for death, the gladiators grabbed their weapons: spear and shields as primary weapons and a secondary of their choosing.

"It is your first day, blacksmith," said Lincoln. "What will you choose?"

"I will answer your question when you tell me why you choose the M1 Garand," asked the blacksmith.

Lincoln chuckled as he loaded the rifle in his hands.

"They have lightsabers, but no blasters?" asked Poe.

"Commodus believes it makes the games unfair to Roman traditions of valor and honor," said the blacksmith.

"What did Mr. Lincoln mean 'your first day'?" Finn asked.

"The only thing they had me do is make the weapons here. They never put me in the arena until today."

Rey stretched her hand out to grab her lightsaber, but as she grabbed it, a hand grabbed her wrist. It was small man with a blank expression.

"Pardon me, mademoiselle," said the little man. "But I desire that weapon."

"It belongs to me," Rey said.

"Not in here, it doesn't."

"Napoleon," said the blacksmith. "She had it first, let her have it. Or do I have to break your arm again."

"Fine, you win this time, blacksmith," Napoleon said as he marched off.

"You have to pardon his manners," said the blacksmith to Rey. "Napoleon is still not over the fact he lost at Waterloo."

Finn picked up a M16A4 and examined it like he knew how it work and Poe the same with a Mauser.

"Strange," said Finn.

"Yeah, it's like I know how to use it," Poe said.

"It's the device in your neck," said the blacksmith. "It downloads all the knowledge of ever weapon here."

They heard a trumpet in the distance.

"It's time," said the blacksmith as he grabbed a lightsaber.

Rey breathed slowly to calm her nerves. She wanted this to end, try to convince herself that this was just a dream. But nothing happened as she and the others made their way to the arena, preparing for whatever was on the other side of those doors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time, the first of many battles in the Colosseum.


	2. Chapter 2

Rey, Finn, and Poe were amazed by the size of the Colosseum. It was larger than any building they had ever seen, with dozens of levels in height.

"When the emperor enters, you will salute him," said a Roman soldier. "Don't dare turn your back to him or you will suffer the wrath of Caesar."

"I am Caesar," said one of the gladiators. "Gaius Julius Caesar. That is an imposter on that throne."

"Shut up, slave," said the soldier as he struck Caesar.

Caesar tried to kill the soldier, but the blacksmith held him back. "There will be a time for that," he said to Caesar. "Just not now."

A fanfare of trumpets and drums rang in the higher levels as Commodus entered his box with the Roman Imperial sigma. All the gladiators saluted him as command, except the blacksmith, though no one notice his ignorance, save Rey. An announcer rambled off about what battle was to reenacted.

"Remember, my friends," Caesar said. "Whatever comes out of those gates, stay together and we will survive."

Suddenly, a gate had open and out came a massive tank with a swastika. Another door open and a second tank appeared.

"Tiger Tanks," said the blacksmith.

The gladiators managed to form a circle with their shields just as the tanks opened fire on them. When the tanks stopped to reload, the blacksmith took the opportunity to take out the front gunner with his spear, though the gunner broke the spear. He then took the lightsaber he had, activating the indigo blade, and cutting the tracks on the tank.

Suddenly, a dozen trucks with mounted turrets appeared. The others discarded their spears and used their secondary weapons: Washington, a cutlass; Lincoln, a M1 Garand; Napoleon, a small blue bladed lightsaber; Caesar, a LMG Saw machine gun; Finn, a M16A4; Poe, a Mauser; and Rey, her lightsaber.

Rey quickly headed to the other tank as Finn and Poe cover-fired for her. She cut off the door cover of the tank, jumped in, and killed every soldier in the tank. The blacksmith jumped in and took the wheel of the Tiger as Rey took control of the main gun of the tank. As the others took out the trucks, the Mandalorian captured one with Poe on the turret, mowing down the soldiers that rushed in to finish them.

"Fools," Caesar said as he fired on the soldiers.

As more and more soldiers came in, the more and more of them died. Within twelve minutes, the arena was covered in bodies and blood. When the last soldier was killed by Rey, the crowd roared in satisfaction and seemed pleased with the spectacle. Rey, Finn, and Poe were confused how anyone could enjoy so much death.

Commodus, despite being disappointed by this, was also satisfying pleased with the blood shed too. He was most interested in the blacksmith and the girl with the blue lightsaber. He stood up and gestured to a commander of his personal guard.

More soldiers entered the arena, but they wore black robes in armor, not red like these others.

"Steady," Caesar said to Rey and her friends. "They are the personal guards of the emperor. It seems this 'Caesar' wishes to speak to us."

"Drop your weapons, now," ordered a soldier.

"Do as he says," Caesar said, dropping his weapon and the others followed suite as Commodus entered the arena. They bowed to the ground and only got up when Commodus told them to.

"You all have delighted the people and myself," said Commodus. "Especially, you, blacksmith, and these young people. I don't believe I know your names."

"My name is Rey," Rey answered. "This is Finn and Poe. They are members of the Resistance and I am a Jedi Knight."

"Hmm, interesting," Commodus said. "And since it is your first time in the arena, blacksmith, may you tell us your name."

"I'm just the blacksmith," he said. He turned around and walked off.

"How dare you turn your back on me," Commodus said angrily. "Slave, you will give your name to all present here."

The blacksmith sighed, removed his wig, and fake sideburns. He turned and said, "My name is John Frederick William Benjamin Xavier Smith: soldier of the United States Army, admiral of the First Terran Intergalactic Fleet of the New World Alliance, general of the armies of the Galactic Republic, pilot of Phoenix Squadron, co-founder of the Rebel Alliance, and member of the ancient order, the Revanites."

Commodus face seemed like he had seen a ghost. "The Warlord spoke of you. No wonder he wanted you to live." He whispered to his commander. He then ordered his guards to pull out as he left the arena. He stopped at the door and put a quick thumbs up. The crowd cheered with joy.

"What does that mean?" Finn asked.

"It means we live to fight another day," Smith said.

The gladiators cheered as they headed back to the barracks. They were joined by fellow gladiators who cheered their triumph and lifted their spirits.

"We need to talk," Rey said to Smith.

"I think me and my wife need to explain who we are," said Smith.

"Your wife?"

"Yes," said Smith as the Mandalorian walked up and took his hand in hers. "My wife, Sasha Wren."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time, a uncompleted story will be told once more and continued.  
> Also, if you don't know what indigo is, it is a mix of blue and purple. Look it up. It's a real color.
> 
> 4/28/19: a brief update was made today.


	3. Chapter 3

When Rey finished her side of her story, Smith said, "It is different from the story I know. You were never trained as a Jedi because Luke died years before you found Ahch-to. Instead, you found me, trained as a Revanite, and, after the war ended, married Finn."

"What?" Finn and Rey said at the same time.

"Well, for starters, Rose Tico never got off Snoke's flag ship. She was killed by Kylo Ren before he faced me. Hey, Finn, are you and Rose still,... you know."

"Not anymore, no," Finn said.

"Sorry to hear that," Smith said.

"Back to the question at hand: who are you and how do you know us?" Rey asked.

"I believe I already answered the 'how' and now the 'who' part is next," Smith said with a smile.

He gave his account: born in Illinois, USA, in the year 2195, to an African-British father and African-American mother and raised in Texas. At eighteen, he joined the US army shortly after the last war against terrorism. At twenty-one, he became the solo subject to a unique super soldier test, which gave him super strength, speed, healing, and slowed aging. Afterwards, a war broke out between Mars and Earth. Five years later, Earth defeated Mars by blowing half of the planet apart. The New World Alliance was founded and Smith was made one of two admirals of the first space fleet from Earth. When the Jupiter satellite Europa was colonized, a solar eruption sent the moon to Republic space in a time span of three Earth days, five years before the Clone Wars began. After a brief civil war between the Earthmen on the planet of Naboo, they joined the Republic and Smith became Senator Amidala's personal bodyguard. When the Clone Wars began, he volunteered his services to the Republic Army as the only Terran general in the war. When the Galactic Empire was made, Smith stayed on the run until he joined the Ghost crew and later became a member of Phoenix Squadron. He discovered his force sensitivity during that time and kept it secret from everyone until the Galactic Civil War was over at the Battle of Jakku. After defeating a group of Sith called the Sith Triumvirate and the Sith Rule of One with the assistance of Luke Skywalker, he joined the Revanites, appointed by the ghost of Revan and gifted with Revan's lightsaber. During that time, he met and married Sacha, an exile from Clan Wren.

"And I already mentioned what happened next with you," Smith said.

"Wait, you were in the Clone Wars?" Poe asked.

"Yes."

"So, you are..."

"A hundred and two years old."

"You don't look a day over forty," Finn said. "But how is your wife so young?"

"During the battle against the Sith Rule of One, she was injured to the point of death and I gave a part of myself to save her, which included my super soldier blood and my slowed aging. Plus, she was twenty-five at the time and I was sixty-eight."

"This is all difficult to take in," Rey said.

"Guess it is," Smith said. "Anyway, best you all get some sleep. You'll never know when they'll send us back into the arena."

As Finn and Poe slept, Rey stayed awake, troubled by everything. With the device in her neck cutting her connection to the force, she had trouble staying focus and calm. In some way, she felt afraid.

"Rey," a voice said. Rey looked and saw Finn awake and worried. "Are you okay?"

"No, no, I'm not," Rey answered. "I can't focus or think clearly. I feel lost."

"No, you're not lost. You have Poe and me."

"Finn."

"Yes?"

"Will you stay with me tonight?"

"You sure?"

"Please, I need to be sure that it'll be okay."

"Alright," Finn said as he moved. He laid behind Rey and closed his eyes. He felt Rey pull his left hand under her left arm and place it on her chest. He thought, _She's scared to death. Keep cool, Finn. Just helping a friend find her center. Nothing more. Nothing Less. But..._

When morning came, Rey woke to find Poe standing over her. He smiled and said, "Seriously, get a different room if this continues."

"Poe, it's not personal," Rey said. "I need help to calm down. I am confused and feel alone."

"Alright, if it's a mental problem, just let me know next time."

"What's wrong?" Finn asked having awaken.

"Nothing, Poe's just a little concerned," Rey said. Then whispered, "Maybe a little jealous."

A trumpet sounded in the distance.

"We better get some food before going in there again," Finn said.

"Couldn't agree more," Poe said.

"You don't have to worry," Smith said as he walked by. "We aren't the ones going in today. Tomorrow is when you should be ready. It could last for days."

"Days?" Rey said.

"What kind of battle last for that long in an arena?" Poe asked.

Smith answered, "Aerial-Naval combat."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time, the start of a battle that'll make Ridley Scott jealous that this is not on the big screen.
> 
> 4/18/19 update: I did a small change in this chapter, something done for a reason that I will explain about in the future.
> 
> 4/28/19 update: more changes made.
> 
> 7/2/19 update: more changes made.


	4. Chapter 4

"Aerial-Naval combat reenactment in the arena is the biggest one that they'll do in there," Smith said. "You are assigned in one of three positions: underwater, surface, and air. In there, they will expand the arena to a square measured at two hundred miles in radius. There are no X-wings, TIE fighters, or any known aircraft going beyond Mach 4. And pray you don't get sent underwater."

"Why?" Finn asked.

"It's the most dangerous of the three," Smith said. "While you have the day, you can talk to some of the others here. After all, time waits for no one."

As the day rolled by, the trio took Smith's advice. Poe talked with famous pilots, like James Doolittle, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, and Benjamin O. Davis, as they shared some stories of their flights and/or war battles. Finn talked with famous seamen, like Thomas Cochrane, Matthew Perry, Horatio Nelson, and John Paul Jones, believing he would find some knowledge of naval warfare.

Rey, however, was more focused on her mental state. She tried everything she could think of from the ancient Jedi text that Luke had. But nothing worked. As night fell, she headed back to her cell. Then, without warning, she was tackled to the ground by a strange man with knife held to her throat and his left hand over her mouth. The man had a scar on his left check.

"If you scream, I'll gut you good," the man said. "If you're a good girl, Old Al'll give you a treat."

As fast as the eye could see, the man was lifted to the ceiling of the cell and slammed into the wall with so much force that his head burst with blood coming down his face. As he stared, he saw Smith standing between him and Rey.

"Alphonse Gabriel Capone," Smith said. "You know, Al, I was expecting Napoleon to be the master mind in this horrific act of crime."

"NO, no, blacksmith," Napoleon said from his cell next door. "I am a Frenchman. A gentleman never behaves thusly with a lady."

"Come on, Smith," Capone said. "It's been so long, I can't bear it no more."

"Nice try, but you know the rules. No intercourse of any kind is permitted in here or any weapons outside the arena. Besides, you should thank me for not reporting this to Commodus. Otherwise, you end up like Johnny Torrio."

Capone's face shone with a look of fear.

"Good," Smith said. "Now, get out and clean your wound." As Capone left, Smith turned to Rey and said, "You okay?"

"I think so," Rey said.

"Well, get some sleep. We have a long fight ahead of us all."

The next day, with the arena expanded, the gladiators headed in.

"Poe," Smith said as they entered the gladiatorial armory. "Aviators are headed that way. Better hurry before they assign you to a position."

"Alright," Poe said. "Finn, you and Rey be safe, okay."

"We will," Finn said.

Poe headed to the aircraft hanger and examined the planes and fighters displayed. He made his choice: an F-22 Raptor.

"Hey, where does the droid go?" Poe asked.

"What droid?" a fellow pilot asked. "This is a fighter jet, not a space ship."

"Oh, right," Poe said. He examined the helmet in the cockpit of the jet. "Strange looking helmet."

Meanwhile, Rey, Finn, and Smith headed to the naval ships. As they headed to one of the floating ships, a door separated Finn from the others.

"That is all," a soldier said. "Everyone else to the submarines."

"No," Finn shouted. He pounded at the door calling for Rey as he was forced toward the submarines.

Rey pounded back before Sacha held her close to her.

"It's okay," said Smith. "I have a plan."

As they continued, Finn was forced into a submarine. He tried to open the door, but some sailors held him back.

"Son," said John Paul Jones. "You open that and you kill us all. We have submerged under the water."

"Were am I?" Finn asked.

"The USS Nautilus," Jones said. "I'll show you to the bridge."

Else where, Rey, Smith, and Sacha arrived on their ship, the USS Constitution.

"Ah, Old Ironsides," Perry said. "It is a joy to be on a magnificent ship."

"On the contrary," Nelson said. "HMS Victory was a finer ship than this one."

"Ah, but the Speedy," Cochrane said. "She was small, yes, but could take on a Spanish galleon."

As the captains argued over what ships where better, Rey headed to the helm of the ship where Smith was, looking out at the water.

"What does Commodore Perry mean by 'Old Ironsides'?" Rey asked. "It's made of wood, not iron."

Smith chuckled, "No, you're right. Sounds misleading. I'll answer you're question when the time comes. For now," Smith turned to Washington. "Mr.President, we're ready."

"Gentlemen," Washington shouted to the crew and officers. "Let us set sail. Our enemies await for us across the sea of battle."

With that, the Constitution, the Nautilus, and the planes headed to sea to meet the enemy on the other side of the arena.

Meanwhile, Commodus met with the Warlord, hidden from all by shadow.

"My lord," Commodus said. "The battle is underway."

"Good," the Warlord said. "Smith believes he has the upper hand in this. We shall see. Get on the Queen Anne's Revenge and have Edward Teach, Bartholomew Roberts, the Bismarck, and the Spanish Armada hunt down and destroy the Constitution and her allies."

"But the rules..."

"...have changed. No mercy this time. Kill anyone on those ships and planes. This is the final game in the arena. One way or another, the operation will began, despite who wins the battle, I win the war."

The warlord laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time, one of the biggest battles of historical warfare begins.


	5. Chapter 5

As the fighter jets headed out, Poe thought again how he knew how to fly a jet that he never flew before. The device in his neck. That was the only answer.

A small red light started to flash on the console. Poe said, "Hey, a light is going off."

"Is it red or yellow?" asked Doolittle.

"Red."

"It means your fuel is almost out. Call in a refuel plane."

"How?"

"Hold on," Davis said. "I'll take care of it." He switched his communication to a different channel. "Tango 4, this is Bravo 8. Bravo 6 is in need of a refuel. How copy?"

"Copy that, Bravo 8," Tango 4 replied. "Refuel ETA in fifteen minutes."

"Roger, over and out," Davis said. He switched back to Poe. "Dameron, refuel plane will arrive in fifteen minutes."

"Roger," Poe said. He then noticed a light in the distance. "Hey, what is that on my twelve?"

"Enemy planes," Lindbergh said. "Get ready."

"Give them hell," Davis said.

For the next fifteen minutes, a massive dog fight left the enemy nearly destroyed save three and only Poe, Davis, Doolittle, and six others alive. As they pulled away, Doolittle said, "Dameron, refuel plane on your four."

As Poe was guide by Davis and Doolittle on how to connect with the refuel plane, a fighter jet slammed into the refuel plane and the explosion caused Poe to drift downward.

"Dameron, get that plane back up here," Davis said.

Poe tried, but it made the plane spin out of control. "I can't," Poe said.

"Dameron, eject," Doolittle said. "Eject and get to the Constitution. You're no good if you're dead."

Poe quickly ejected from the plane and saw it hit the water below as his parachute slowed his decent. He saw the Constitution just off in the distance and began to glide himself toward the ship.

On the Constitution, Smith told more about himself to Rey and about what the galaxy had for him.

"...And Luke never gave up on the Jedi ways," he said. "He did go to Ben's hut, looked into his mind, and saw a possible future, but he never tried to kill Ben in his sleep. Tempted, yes, but resisted it. In fact, Ben sensed Luke looking in his mind and foolishly tried to kill Luke in his sleep. But after he failed to kill Luke, Ben destroyed the temple, killed Luke's students, and left with those who chose to follow him. Luke went to Ahch-to, waited for the one who would continue the legacy of the Jedi, and, two years before you came there, died of natural causes, but sent a message to me through the force on how to find the planet and buried him there. I, of course, stayed there, believing the First Order would meet it's demise, not by the Jedi, but by the Revanites."

"It's very much different from what happened to me," Rey said.

"Yeah, you still use the lightsaber that Luke used. After you lost it on Ahch-to, I gifted you with the lightsaber of Obi-wan Kenobi."

"Wait, what?"

"Well, I had to replace the rusted parts, but kept the overall feel and look of the original."

"Hold on. Lost it on Ahch-to?"

"Um, yeah. You destroyed one of my lightsabers and I got really angry. I ended the fight by cutting your left arm off close to the shoulder and sent it and the lightsaber into the ocean."

"You cut off my arm because I destroyed one of your lightsabers?"

"One of two that I have, including Revan's. The other originally belonged to Jedi Master Aayla Secura, who was killed during Order 66, which I saw happen. Afterward, I destroyed a Republic base as an act of vengeance, killing all inside. I found Secura's lightsaber and promised to never act as I did that night again."

Rey was shocked by this revelation. She didn't understand. "Why would you do such a thing?"

"I was young, naive, and a soldier. My duty was to protect the Republic and my people from all enemies: foreign and domestic."

"But-"

"Man overboard!" Someone shouted.

The crew pulled the man, who was dressed in a aviator suit, on board and it was revealed to be Poe Dameron.

"Poe," Rey said as she hugged him close to her.

"What happened?" Smith asked.

"We got into a dog fight," Poe said. "I was low on fuel. A refuel plane came in, but was destroyed and caused me to crash into the water."

"Ship on the starboard," a crewman shouted from the crow's nest.

Perry pulled out his magnifying glass and looked out toward the starboard. "Admiral Smith," he said. "You need to see this."

"It's the Spanish Armada," Smith said as he looked out. "Wait. Get us out to sea."

"What is it?" asked Nelson.

"It's the Bismarck," Smith said. "A 20th century battleship. It could destroy this ship with a single shot."

"We must contact the Nautilus," said Washington. "They must take out the Bismarck. We must deal with the Armada."

"I have an idea," Smith said. "Captain Cochrane, we need your expertise."

"Ahh, jolly good, sir," Cochrane said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time, the Nautilus vs the Bismarck and the Constitution vs the Spanish Armada.


	6. Chapter 6

"So, they want us to go after a ship that is a century and a half older than what we have," Finn asked.

"It does make sense," Lincoln said. "We have more equal fire power and stealth. But, before that, we need to stop by the Constitution and drop you off."

"All hands, prepare to surface," Jones said on the intercom.

The Nautilus surfaced and the Constitution brought Finn on board, greet by a handshake by Poe and a warm embrace by Rey.

"Dive, dive, dive," Jones said on the intercom.

The Nautilus went under the surface and headed toward the Bismarck.

"Load torpedo bays one and two," Jones ordered.

As they approached, an explosion erupted and shook the ship.

"They know we are here," Lincoln said.

"How?" Jones asked.

As more and more explosions followed, the Nautilus was damaged beyond repair, water leaking faster than it could be plugged off.

"Loaded all the torpedoes," Jones ordered. He turned to Lincoln and said, "We are going down, but we shall go down fighting."

"Indeed, we may not survive," Lincoln said. "But they will finish what we started here today."

"FIRE TORPEDOES!!!" Jones ordered.

With all the torpedoes gone, the Nautilus erupted into a million pieces.

Above the surface, the Bismarck aimed at the Constitution, but then became a fire ball and split into two. And mere seconds, it too would be at the bottom with the Nautilus.

"We lost the Nautilus," Nelson said as he removed the radio headset from his ears.

"The universe will not know about this, but we can never forget what they did here," Washington said. "Let us honor their sacrifice by continuing the fight they have left us. And if we succeed, we will be free from this prison and return once more, God willing. But if we die, then let us not die in vain. For now, let us, for a brief moment, have moment of silence to pay our respects and bid are friends and brothers-in-arms to their final resting place."

After five minutes of silence, Cochrane said, "It is ready."

The Constitution was now unrecognizable: the red lines were now white, a gray flag with a black circle flew overhead, and the crew discarded their navy uniforms for what appeared to be civilian rags. They headed toward a balcony of the Colosseum and began to throw their reserves to the crowd.

The San Martinho, the flagship of the Spanish Armada, sailed close to the Constitution, but the crew believed it to be a ship sent out with food to distribute to the crowd, which wasn't to happen for another hour.

As the ship came just ten feet away, Washington shouted, "Hoist the colors. Manned the guns and fire." The American flag was raised on the main mast and all cannons on the right side poured into the San Martinho. With the ship disabled, the Constitution continued one ship after another until the last of the Spanish Armada was destroyed. With that, the crew shouted, "Hurrah, hurrah, her sides are made of iron." Rey looked over the side and noticed that not a single cannonball from the enemy made so much as a hole in the hull.

"And that is why she is called 'Old Ironsides'," Smith said.

Overhead, the remaining jets flow over and fired on the disabled ships, finishing them for good.

"Ship on the port bow," a crewman shouted.

Everyone run to the left and saw another ship in the distance.

"It is the Queen Anne's Revenge," Perry said.

"What is it?" Poe asked.

"The ship of Edward Teach aka Blackbeard, the most deadliest pirate in the world," Nelson said.

"He is not alone," Cochrane said. "He has both Black Bart Roberts and Commodus. Strange. Commodus never goes into the arena during a aerial-naval combat battle."

"John," Sacha said. "Are you alright?"

Rey turned and saw Smith still standing on the right side, looking out at sea.

"Just tired," Smith said before he fell on the deck, unconscious.

"Smith," Rey shouted.

Sacha, Rey, Finn, and Poe ran over to him, as the ships doctor came over.

"He has huge piece of wood in his heart," the doctor said. "He will not survive."

"You don't know my husband like I do," Sacha said. "He needs rest. Take him into the captain's cabin. He must be made comfortable."

Sacha stayed with Smith as he rested. While worried herself, Rey knew that the crew needed her.

"We have a problem," Perry said. "We are nearly out of ammo. We can't run and we can't stay here. So, unless someone has a better idea, we ram the ship into the enemy and we fight in hand-to-hand combat. All in favor, say 'aye'."

"Aye," shouted the entire crew.

"Well then, let us finish this now," Washington said.

On the Queen Anne's Revenge, Commodus was on the bridge with Teach and Roberts. He noticed the Constitution turn toward them.

"They seem eager to die," Commodus said. "Cut the power to their air support." In mere moments, every jet fell in to the water, on both sides.

As he looked back to the Constitution, he noticed it wasn't slowing down its speed. Closer. Closer. Suddenly, it crashed into the ship, taking all men off their feet.

"To arms," Commodus said. "Leave no one alive."

"No quarter," Teach said with his sword in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time, the final battle.
> 
> 8/7/19: the last bit was inspired by the words of General Joshua Chamberlain from history and the movie Gettysburg from 1993. Should have mentioned that when this chapter was first posted, but either forgot or thought people who read this would immediately get the reference, so I'm sorry about that.


	7. Chapter 7

"Fire," Perry said.

With the last of the cannon ammo gone, it cut down the Queen Anne's Revenge's forward mast and cut down its own cannons. The crewmen of both ships started to board each other and fought to the death. With lightsabers and swords clashing together and guns firing, within the first five minutes, over several dozen people were dead or dying.

Rey confronted Roberts, who carried a double bladed red lightsaber. Rey believed it to be an easy win for her, but soon she realized, without the force, she couldn't follow the blades of her enemy. Soon, the tables turned and Roberts quickly disarmed Rey by knocking the lightsaber out of her hands and into the water. Rey was penned by Roberts as he prepared for the killing blow.

"Rey," Sacha yelled as she threw something toward Rey.

Rey grabbed it and, within the blink of an eye, activated and deactivated the weapon, its blade going through Roberts' chest. Rey looked over the weapon she held: a lightsaber with equal three side around the handle ending with three teeth on top. She reactivated the blade: it was an indigo color. She realized she held the lightsaber that was once Revan's and now belonged to Smith.

Within the next fifteen minutes, the enemy was reduced to only Teach and three crewmen.

"Where is Commodus?" Washington asked.

"I don't know," Teach said. "And even if I did, I won't tell you."

"Well, as the captain of the ship, will you agree to surrender?" asked Cochrane.

"Damnation may take my soul before I receive quarter from y-"

BANG!

A gun fired and Teach laid dead on the ground with a bullet hole in the forehead. Rey turned and saw Smith with a Desert Eagle .44 in his hand. He still had the piece of wood in his heart.

"Whate'er you say, guvnor," he said.

When the crew got off the enemy ship, Rey and her friends saw a plane come in. It landed on the water and a motor boat came to the Constitution. It had Napoleon and three others. "I missed everything again?" he said. "Why me?"

"Smith needs help," Finn said.

"He needs to get back to the starting area," Napoleon said. "Once back, the device in his neck will be removed so his regenerative healing will begin."

"Why would they want to remove the devices now?" Poe said.

"I don't know. I guess it is because we won. Do you think you can fly the plane back?"

"Maybe."

With that, Rey, Finn, Poe, Sacha, and Smith went in the plane and Poe flew the plane back.

As they returned, Smith spoke to Rey more. "...Ben had gone down a road were it seemed hopeless to continue with redemption. Leia believed he was gone and Kylo Ren was there in his place. But I reminded her about what I believe on redemption: that only death could determine that as a certainty. I believed he could be redeemed. But much like you, he was lost by the end."

"Your lightsaber has a strange colored blade. Why is that?"

"I took the crystal from Aayla Secura's lightsaber, which was split in two by you, and combined it with Revan's purple lightsaber. That is why it has a blue-purple color."

"Why would you combine two kyber crystals?"

"I made a promise when I took Secura's lightsaber. I still tend to keep that promise."

Three minutes later, the plane landed back at the starting area. The soldiers stationed there removed their devices and Smith was able to heal from his wound in an hour.

"This way, please," a soldier said. He directed them to the training area and point out two portals at the western section of the area.

"I guess this is it," Smith said. "We are going home. It feels like it was a hundred years since I first came here."

"Yeah," Rey said. "It does."

As they walked to the portals, Smith turned and saw Sacha at the gate. "Sacha, you okay?"

"I can't move," she said.

From behind her, there stepped forward a gray man with red veins on his face in black robes. He turned a hand toward the others and they froze in place.

"Who are you and what kind of alien creature are you?" Smith said as he struggled to move.

"I am a type of human," he said.

"Yeah, I could easily tell by your humanoid form."

"I am human. On my Earth, this is what humanity looks like. We crave war daily."

"Okay, but who are you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he said as he turned on a device around his wrist. "I am Commodus. Lord Commodus of Earthenia. General of the Warlord's armies." He activated a communication device on his ear. "My lord, we are a go."

The ground shaken as the area called the Emperor's Labyrinth rose up to reveal itself as a massive ship. The flagship of a space armada as more smaller ships jumped into view.

"Okay, that's an interesting reveal," Smith said, shocked yet amazed by what he saw. "There is still one thing I don't get: what was with all the historical characters of my Earth?"

"They were dying already. The Warlord gave them one last time to live life through the gladiatorial arena. Once they died here, they died in life they left behind."

Suddenly, Rey broke free of Commodus grip on her and force pulled Smith's lightsaber to her. She charged at Commodus, but the next thing she remembered was being on the ground with arms and legs cut off and screaming in agony. She barely could see the red lightsaber in Commodus' hand through her tears.

"I think we will enjoy torturing the women here," he said. "As for you..." He force pushed Poe and Finn toward one portal and Smith to the other.

Smith broke free of the grip, grabbed a pole in the ground, and swigged himself toward the other portal with Poe and Finn while pulling his lightsaber with the force. And they were gone.

"No no no nononononono," Commodus said angrily. "That was not part of the plan."

"It was his plan," the Warlord said through the comm. "Bring the women to me. We will continue with the operation."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time, the conclusion of the first part of the trilogy.


	8. Chapter 8

_A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..._

 

Smith seemed to fall deep in a hole of memories that were racing around him over and over. Voices played back of those who had past into the force before him.

"You must wake up now, Smith. For the Republic, for the Revanites, for Sacha, for Rey. Wake up!"

Revan?

As he woke, he broke through the bacta tank he was in and grabbed the nearest person by the throat.

"Where am I?" he demanded.

"On the Starlight," the medic said. "A medical ship for the Republic."

Smith thought for a minute. "Where is Commander Dameron?"

"On the bridge."

Smith let the medic go and stormed out. He made his way to the bridge and saw Finn and Poe there.

"Smith, you're final awake," Poe said.

"Who was my brother?" Smith asked.

"I don't know who your brother is."

"The Poe I knew wouldn't have answered that way. He would know I had two brothers. One was Joseph Daniel Edward Henry Kennedy Smith and the other was Joshua Lawrence Ulysses Alexander Morrison Smith. You never knew me until the arena." He sighed and continued. "What of the Warlord?"

"We have been engaged with his forces for three days. He may just win this stand off."

"No. We need to win. No matter what."

"We need to get you and Sacha back to your realm of reality," Finn said. "But we also need to find her and Rey."

"Only until the Warlord is gone. Then I will return home."

Smith leaned against a console as he watched the battle rage on.

"We end this game here in this galaxy," he said to himself. "I will finish this old rivalry once and for all."

 

 

STAR WARS: EPISODE X

THE EMPEROR'S LABYRINTH

 

 THE SKYWALKERS ARE GONE, BUT THEIR LEGACY LIVES ON...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone not familiar with this setup, let me explain. This was partly to give a continuation of the story that will end with Episode IX, whatever that will be, but also to continue the story from a cancelled fanfic I worked with two others called Legend of the Terrans: A Star Wars Story, which was summarized in chapter 3. I didn't give up on the story, but the other two did.
> 
> Also, I know the Skywalker Saga will officially end with Episode IX, but you see, that was this story's magic trick. It continues the story left from Episode IX and follows the characters from the Sequel Trilogy, but because there will be no Skywalkers in this trilogy, it kind of isn't part of the Skywalker Saga. And I made it clear with the opening and the ending of this story.
> 
> Next time, the first chapter of the second part: STAR WARS: EPISODE XI- THE LOST BLOODLINES


End file.
